


Puppy Teeth

by nebulaesailor



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Babies, Family, Family Fluff, Father-Daughter Relationship, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Parent-Child Relationship, Parenthood, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, au where nuzleaf finds hero as a baby and nothing bad happens
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-15
Updated: 2019-04-15
Packaged: 2020-01-13 17:28:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18473671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nebulaesailor/pseuds/nebulaesailor
Summary: Nuzleaf finds a baby in the dungeon and comes to terms with suddenly becoming a father.





	Puppy Teeth

**Author's Note:**

> I have the hellish combination of baby and puppy fever even though I'm nineteen and can barely function as an adult. Also I need more Nuzdad because I'm one of the ten people who still like PSMD.

Nuzleaf felt a pair of clammy paws wrap around his ankle and looked down to find a tiny riolu puppy clinging to his leg. They stared straight up at him as their tail began to wag as they tried to slowly inch up towards his shin in an attempt to stand up, he chuckled at the sheer determination on their face as they wobbled and threatened to fall down. He placed his tanned hands under their armpits to help stable them, they tilted her entire head up at him as he gave them a wide smile.

“Hiya, Tegan. How ya doin’? You wanna try taking a few steps with me, I bet we can make it to the kitchen.” He asked as they smiled up at him as their tail was wagging like crazy. 

He took a step as hesitantly Tegan placed one wobbly paw in front of the other and made one small step. They took another step, focusing more on the placement of their feet as they didn’t have to worry about balance. After a few more steps, they started to pant and whine until they finally reached close enough to the kitchen that Nuzleaf thought they had achieved their task. They were promptly lifted up and was given a kiss on the forehead as they yipped and wiggled in his grasp, he quickly switched to holding them in one arm and cradled them to his chest.

It had been a month since the young pokemon had come into his care after he had found them abandoned in the woods. He had been exploring a dungeon near Open Pass when he had heard the whimpering of what sounded like a young child. Much to his surprise and shock, he had found the riolu at the base of an old tree with no signs of a parent being nearby or even that anyone cared for them in the first place. It was like they had been tossed out without any second thought not even being wrapped in a blanket for warmth like Carracosta’s child had been. He hated to think what would have become of the pup if he hadn’t found them. Probably torn apart by feral pokemon in the dungeon or die of exposure during the cold night. He had no choice but to take them with him.

For weeks he tried to find their parents, searching through missing and rescue reports for a young riolu to no avail even going as far to look through the obituary sections of newspapers in the local area to see if maybe the parent had been killed in a dungeon but there was nothing. Nuzleaf knew the truth was probably much darker, the child’s mother probably ditched them in the dungeon hoping they would get killed quickly and no longer have the burden of a child. He had known female criminals who had committed such a crime and gotten off scot free. If that was the case, he would never forgive them for doing such thing to a child as sweet as Tegan. 

Now he was the father to a ten month old riolu with no knowledge or background dealing with children especially ones so young. It was Carracosta who came to his rescue and gave him pointers on how not to kill the puppy that was now technically his as Carracosta had a child of similar age. It was still incredibly hard especially since Tegan had started teething and was chewing on any and everything they could get their paws on, destroying some of his furniture and books in the process. It then occurred to him Tegan didn’t have any toys to chew on or play with so he had spent the next week sewing and carving toys for them. Now the entire house was littered with plushies and toy chews that he often tripped over much to his chagrin but he would do anything for his child even if it meant nearly getting a concussion every day. 

With teeth, it also meant solid food which Carracosta urged him to start them on since before he had only been feeding them formula he had received from Audino and occasionally milk from Miltank if he ran out. Getting Tegan to eat solid food had proven to be very difficult as they were messier than a grumpig and pickier than a komala. This was more often than not why he dreaded meal time as it was often an hour of crying and fussing and then a much needed bath. This was done at least twice a day with him lucking out for lunch because they only had a bottle and both would then doze together in the midday sun mess free. 

So here he was trying to decide what to make all while he rummaged through the kitchen, Tegan watching his every move suspiciously. He gone through the possible options as there was a very small range of things that Tegan would even consider opening their mouth for. He decided that mashed apples and nanab berries was the way to go as it was the closest the riolu had to a favorite. So he strapped them to his back with a cloth so his hands were free and tied an apron around his waist, starting to dice the fruit and add it to the water boiling in the sauce pan. Tegan tried to entertain themself by tugging on and playing with his leaf which hurt like a mother since the child was deceptively strong. He gritted his teeth as he checked the doneness of the fruit and drained the water from the pot, beginning to mash the fruit to a proper consistency with a wooden spoon. Once he was sure Tegan couldn’t possibly choke on it, laddled the puree into a small wooden bowl and placed it on the table. Now the moment of judgement.

He unknoted the cloth holding Tegan to his back and placed them in the simple wooden high chair he had built when they first came to live with him. They looked at him with their big ruby eyes curiously as he took the bowl in his hand and dipped the spoon in and held it to their face. Sniffing it cautiously, they opened their mouth so he could spoon it into their mouth quickly and urge them to swallow before they spat it back up. They looked at him expectantly which was an encouraging sign that they were showing the desire to actually eat rather them trying to maneuver the spoon past ironclad lips, praying to Arceus they wouldn’t be stuck there for over an hour. But much to joy and surprise, Nuzleaf was very easily able to feed his squirming but happy child even as it ended up smeared into their fur and stamped onto his face with dirty paws.

“Ya sure are mess today, kiddo. You sure you ain’t a tepig ‘cause I swear more food ends up on your face than in your belly. Can’t have you tracking food all over the house, might attract bug types. You need a good washing.” He lifted the giggling riolu and carried them towards a bucket filled with lukewarm water which he had set aside to cool during dinner.

They were lowered into the water as Nuzleaf started to scrub the food from their fur as they splashed the water surrounding her. He used a washcloth to wash his face off though he was getting wet regardless. He walked to the closet to get a towel and lifted Tegan up and wrapped them up before she was able to shake the water loose from their fur. They barked in irritation as he chuckled and started to dry their fur which was very clearly irritating them. Trying to bite at his hand, they managed to sink their few but razor sharp to his finger which made him yelp in pain which startled them. 

“Tegan, no biting!” He scolded them as they started whimper and became teary eyed, he sighed as their rubbed her back with his uninjured hand.

“Child, it’s okay. Shhhhh.” He cooed to them as he got up and started to bounce them, feeling absolutely horrid for making them cry. 

“I ain’t mad at ya, Tegan. Ya gotta stop cryin’ though, ain’t going to do us much good is it?” He said to them softly as they looked up at him with big watery eyes, their pitiful whimpers starting to subside. Exhausted, they draped herself over his shoulder as he continued to rub their back. 

“You’re pretty pooped ain’t ya? I think we should call it a night.” He walked towards the room they shared which would eventually become theirs once she was a little bit older. 

He sat down on the bed and tried to lull them into sleep by rocking her and whistling a tune under his breath. A soft sigh escaped Tegan’s lips as Nuzleaf fell back on the mattress with the child resting on his chest, eager to close his own eyes and fall asleep. He pulled the quilt over them and shut his eyes once he knew Tegan was a sleep. A smile stretched across his face even in slumber.

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't know how baby pokemon would act and develop so I combined puppy and baby development because humanoid dog????


End file.
